Wages, benefits to put pressure on 2015 Durham police budget

Draft will go to regional council this fall

Durham Police

DURHAM -- Wages and benefits will continue to put pressure on the Durham police budget in 2015.

Next year’s budget process is still months away, but the Durham Police Services Board recently got an overview of what to expect from the 2015 numbers.

Personnel costs such as wages and benefits make up 81 per cent of the current 2014 police budget.

Stan MacLellan, chief administrative officer for the Durham Regional Police Service, said there isn’t a lot of wiggle room when it comes to those costs, because they are negotiated as part of a collective agreement.

“When the largest driver is something you don’t control, that’s a challenge,” he said.

The current agreement expires Dec. 31, 2014, which means the 2015 police budget will be based on an assumption about how much wages will go up.

Police wage increases have gone down over the past four years, from 2.9 per cent in 2011 to 2.5 per cent in 2014.

The number of officers on staff is also a key question for 2015 -- Mr. MacLellan said meetings will take place later this month to discuss staffing levels.

The authorized strength for DRPS -- which is the maximum number of positions allowed -- is 871 officers and 306 full-time civilian members.

DRPS currently has 858 officers.

“A key planning question and assumption for 2015 will be how many members to budget for,” a report to the board notes. “Returning to budgeting to authorized levels will increase the budget.”

Other challenges on tap for 2015 include replacing aging specialty vehicles.

The mobile command vehicle will reach the end of life at 12 years old in 2015 and is expected to cost $385,000 to replace.

“Could we get another year or two out of it? It’s conceivable,” Mr. MacLellan said. “But this is something that’s coming down the pipe.”

The older of two court paddy wagons is also up for replacement at a cost of $165,000.

The 2014 police budget is $177.6 million, an increase of 3.2 per cent, or $5.6 million, over 2013. It includes $11.1 million to service debt costs, a figure expected to jump to $11.4 million for 2015.

A draft 2015 police budget will be presented to regional council’s finance committee in September.